2017 Express & Star Business Awards 2017 'fly the flag' for firms

An opportunity to 'fly the flag' for companies across the area

The Express & Star Business Awards will be an opportunity to 'fly the flag' for companies across the area, Editor Keith Harrison told a gathering of sponsors at the newspaper's Queen Street offices in Wolverhampton.

Scores of companies have already registered to take part in the region's premier business competitions over the coming months, culminating in a glittering awards night in June.

The entrants will be whittled down to a shortlist of more than 30 companies, each of which will undergo a testing examination during a site visit by teams of awards judges in the hunt to find the best businesses in the area across a series of awards categories.

Judges from both the newspaper and its parent company, MNA, and from each of the sponsor companies, he said, "will have the privilege of going out to see some of the work going on in our area.

"These businesses are something we can shout about in the Black Country. By flying the flag for them people can see we are open for business irrespective of what is happening locally or in the country."

Mr Harrison was speaking during a buffet lunch meeting for the event's sponsors, including the newest addition: the Black Country Chamber of Commerce Platinum Group, which is supporting the search for the Customer Service Champion. He also thanked the returning sponsors – Aspray24, Carvers Building Supplies, Higgs & Sons, BDO, Jaguar Land Rover, City of Wolverhampton Council, UTC Aerospace Systems, ArchOver and Altodigital – for their continuing support; "Without you these awards would not be possible," he said.

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre will again be sponsoring the drinks reception at the awards night, at Wolverhampton Racecourse on June 8.